Shipping container



March 20, 1934. J P E P SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Dec. 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYJ March 20, J. P EARP SHIPPING CONTAINER ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES SHIPPING CONTAINER James P. Earp, Madison, N. J., assignor to Stapling Machines (30., a corporation of Delaware Application December 5, 1930, Serial No. 500,161

10 Claims.

This invention relates to shipping containers, and particularly to wirebound shipping containers.

It is an object of the invention to provide an eflicient container which is light in weight and yet strong and durable.

, It is a further object to provide a container which may be stacked in contact with like containers without shutting off ventilation from any side of the container.

. It is a further object to provide a wirebound container which is free from inside projections and which may be opened and closed without disturbing the wire bindings.

It is a further object to provide an efficient method of producing a wirebound container having an exterior cleat frame at the top of the container and an interior cleat frame at the bottom of the container.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

One illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which:--

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body of the container, and showing a portion of a lid or cover section therefor.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 oi Fig.1, and showing the cover section in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and showing the cover section in closed position.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a sectional, wired container blank which, when folded,- constitutes the four sides of the container shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

i Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the blank of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the blank viewed from the right in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing a plurality of containers stacked on a refrigerating car floor and illustrating the ventilating spaces on all sides of the containers.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of container embodying the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, each side of the container consists of a sheet or sheets of side material 1, an interior cleat 2, and an exterior cleat 3. The side material 1 may consist of one or more sheets of rotary cut veneer, resawed lumber, plywood or the like, and the sheets of a side may be spaced as at 4 to provide ventilation for the contents of the container if such ventilation is desired. The interior cleats 2, preferably of resawed lumber, are secured to the side material at the bot tom of the container to brace the side material and to provide a support for a bottom section 6 which rests upon the interior cleats 2. Bottom section 6 may consist of a plurality of sheets connected in spaced relationship by longitudinal strips to provide ventilating spaces in the bottom of the container, if such ventilation is desired. The bottom may be secured to interior cleats 2'. A binding wire 7 encircles the four sides in the plane of the interior cleats 2 and is stapled to the side material 1 and interior cleats 2, the staples serving to secure the side material to the cleats Exterior cleats 3, preferably of res-awed lumber, are secured to the side material at the top of the container to brace the side material and to provide a support for a cover section 8 which may be secured to exterior cleats 3. Cover section 8 may consist of a plurality of sheets secured together in spaced relationship by longitudinal strips to provide ventilating spaces at the top of the container, if such ventilation is desired. A binding wire 9 encircles the four sides in contact with the exterior cleats 3 andis stapled to the exterior cleats 3 and side material 1. the staples serving to secure the cleats to the side material. Additional binders intermediate the binders 7 and 9 may be provided.

The cleat ends of the interior cleats 2 are preferably plain mitred and abut at the corners of the container. The exterior cleat ends are preferably mitred with the tips of the mitred ends cut off to increase the tension of the binder '9 over the corners of the container. The mitred portion of the exterior cleat ends abut at the corners of the container.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the side material tapers inwardly from the bottom of the contain er to the top of the container, with the result that the inside dimension of the container at the top is less than the inside dimension of the container at the bottom. However, the outside dimensions of the top and bottom are substantially the same, i. e., the distance around the exterior cleats at the top of the container is substantially the same as the distance around the side material at the bottom of the container. As shown in Fig. 8, this arrangement provides a ventilating space 10 between the containers when stacked, while providing a firm contact against shifting at the points 11 and 12. T v

Referring to Fig. 4, if a tight cornered container is desired, the side material for each side of the container is made narrower at the top than. at the bottom and the edges of each section are tapered to provide, in the fiat blank, fan-shaped spaces 13, which spaces close up when the flat blank is folded into container form. This arrangement permits folding the blank into a tightcornered container without providing slack wire over adjacent exterior cleat ends. Also with this arrangement provision may be made for overlapping the side material at the corners of the container, if such overlapping is desired. Such overlapping may be provided by dimensioning the interior cleats of alternate sections to terminate short of the edges of the side material (as shown in Fig. 6), and by dimensioning the exterior cleats of the other sections to extend beyond the edges of the side material (as shown in Fig. 5).

The preferred method of manufacture is best illustrated in Figs. 4 and '7. The previously pre pared sheets of side material 1, interior cleats 2 and exterior cleats 3 are assembled in proper foldable relationship in the flat and wired together. In the assembling operation interior cleats 2 are first positioned in end to end spaced relationship. One end of the side material 1 is then placed over interior cleats 2 and exterior cleats 3 are then placed on the upper side of the side material at its other end. The wires 7 and 9 may then be applied. The two wires, being. of the same length, may be applied simul taneously by machinery. Because the wires I and- 9 are of equal length, when the flat wired blank shown in Fig. 4 is folded into container form, as shown in Fig. l, the upper wire 9 will draw the upper edges of the side sheets together at the corners of the container and close the gaps 13.

In the event that an open corner container is desired for purposes of additional ventilation or otherwise, sheets of side material of rectangular form may be provided, properly spaced in the flat to permit folding. When such rectangular sheets aroused, the folding of the blank will draw the upper edges of the sheets inwardly, partially or wholly closing the gap between sheet edges at the top of the container, but leaving a substantial opening at the bottom of the container, which opening will be reduced in size as it approaches the top of the container.

The method described permits assembling in foldable relationship and wiring in the flat, side material, interior cleats and exterior cleats which will fold into container form (with or without tight corners, as desired) without providing an additional length of wire over the exterior cleat ends.

The resulting container may be stacked in a refrigerator car or in a storeroom in contact with similar containers, without shutting off ventilation on any side of any container. When placed side by side in contact with each other, the points of contact are at the top and bottom of the sides, thus preventing one container from shifting in relation to an adjacent container, and leaving free space between containers intermediate their tops and bottoms. While providing ventilation on all sides, said containers, as compared with their contents, occupy a small amount of space in the car or storeroom.

The form of container shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive is particularly well adapted for the shipment of heavy commodities such as meat. For the shipment of light commodities such as lettuce and other light vegetables the cubical form of container shown in Fig. 9 is preferable, because of its economy in materials and manufacturing cost. In a cubical container made according to this invention, a lesser amount of cleat material is required than in a container of the same capacity which is rectangular in horizontal cross-section, and the sheets of side material for the sides, top and bottom may be of the same size, thus further reducing the cost of manufacture.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particular embodiment shown for illustration and that all of the features of the invention need not be used con-jointly, but may be embodied in various combinations as defined in the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. A wirebound foldable container blank comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections of side material each narrower at the top than at the bottom to provide fan-shaped openings between edges of adjacent sections; an exterior cleat secured to each section along its top edge, the several exterior cleats being in line with each other in foldable relationship; an interior cleat secured to each section along its bottom edge, the several interior cleats being in line with each other in; foldable relationship; a binding wire extending over the several exterior cleats and secured thereto; a binding wire extending over the several sections in line with the interior cleats and secured to the side material and interior cleats; said two wire bindings being of substantially the same length, whereby when the blank is folded into container form the upper edges of the sections of side material will be forced inwardly to close the fan-shaped openings and the exterior and interior cleats will be in substan- I tially the same vertical plane.

2. A foldable container blank comprising a plurality of spaced sections of side material; an exterior cleat secured to each section along its upper edge; an interior cleat secured to each section along its lower edge; a flexible binder extending over the several exterior cleats in line therewith and secured thereto; a flexible binder extending over the several sections in line with the interior cleats and secured to the sections; the length of said binders being substantially the same, whereby when the blank is folded into container form the upper binder will force inwardly the upper edges of the sections of side material and the resulting container will have sides which taper inwardly from the bottom to the top of the container.

3. A shipping container comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections of side material for the sides of the container; an exterior cleat frame at the top of the container; an interior cleat frame at the bottom of the container; a flexible binder encircling the exterior cleat frame and secured thereto; and a flexible binder encircling the container in the plane of the interior cleat frame and secured to the several sections; the exterior dimension about the exterior cleat frame at the top of the container being substantially the same as the exterior dimension about the side material at the bottom of the container,

and the side material being tapered inwardly from the bottom to the top of the container, whereby adjacent containers when packed for shipment will have surfaces adjacent the top and bottom of the containers to resist shifting of the containers while leaving a ventilating space be- '3 terior cleat frame at the top of the container; and an interior cleat frame at the bottom of the container; the exterior dimension about the exterior cleat frame at the top of the container being substantially the same as the exterior dimension about the side material at the bottom of the container, and the side material being tapered inwardly from the bottom to the top of the container, whereby adjacent containers when packed for shipment will have surfaces adjacent the top and bottom of the containers to resist shifting of the containers while leaving a ventilating space between containers intermediate the top and bottom.

5. A wirebound shipping container comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections of side material for the sides of the container, and an exterior cleat secured to each side section adjacent its top edge; the exterior dimension about the exterior cleats at the top of the container being substantially the same as the exterior dimension about the side material at the bottom of the container, whereby adjacent containers when packed for shipment will have surfaces adjacent the top and bottom of the containers to resist shifting of the containers while leaving a ventilating space between containers intermediate the top and bottom.

6. A wirebound shipping container comprising, in combination, four sections of side material for the four sides of the container, and an exterior cleat secured to each side section adjacent its top; the exterior side surface of each cleat being in substantially the same vertical plane as the exterior side surface of the side material at the bottom of the section, whereby adjacent containers when positioned in contact with each other for shipment will have surfaces adjacent the top and bottom of the containers to resist shifting of the containers while leaving a ventilating space between containers intermediate the top and bottom.

'7. A shipping container comprising, in combination, four sections of side material for the four sides of the container, an exterior cleat secured to each side section adjacent its top, an interior cleat secured to each side section adjacent its bottom, said interior cleats being adapted to support a bottom section placed thereon, a flexible binder encircling the container in the plane of the exterior cleats, and

a flexible binder encircling the container in the plane of the interior cleats; the exterior side surface of an exterior cleat of a section being in substantially the same vertical plane as the exterior side surface of the section at the bottom of the container, whereby adjacent containers when positioned in contact with each other for shipment will have surfaces adjacent the top and bottom of the containers to resist shifting of the containers while leaving a ventilating space between containers intermediate the top and bottom.

8. A shipping container comprising, in combination, a plurality of sections of side material for the sides of the container, an exterior cleat secured to each side section adjacent its top, and flexible binders secured to and encircling the sections; the exterior side surface of a cleat of a section being in substantially the same vertical plane as the exterior side surface of the side material at the bottom of the section, whereby adjacent containers when positioned in contact with each other for shipment will have surfaces substantially in contact adjacent the top and bottom of the containers while leaving a ventilating space between containers intermediate the top and bottom.

9. In a wirebound box, side sections comprising upper and lower cleats of substantially the same length and located in substantially the same vertical plane, and side material connecting the upper and lower cleats and secured to the inner side of the upper cleat and to the outer side of the lower cleat, whereby exterior contact surfaces are provided adjacent the top and bottom of the section while leaving a ventilating space intermediate the top and bottom.

10. In a shipping container for commodities requiring ventilation in transit and in storage, side sections comprising upper and lower cleats located in substantial parallelism in substantially the same vertical plane, and side material connecting the upper and lower cleats and secured to the inner side of the upper cleat and to the outer side of the lower cleat, whereby exterior contact surfaces are provided adjacent the top and bottom of the section while leaving a ventilating space intermediate the top and bottom.

JAMES P. EARP. 

